‍Tuesday 16 June 2026

Mallee’s food exporters face huge spikes in Commonwealth export fees after the shock release of data under the cover of a quiet Friday after sunset.

The Albanese Government’s final Export Cost Recovery Implementation Statements confirm fee increases of up to 384 per cent on agricultural exporters.

Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster said the announcement goes down like a lead balloon with farmers just weeks after Labor’s horror European Union Free Trade Agreement, their sneaky tax grab on Australian agriculture made public in the Budget, along with destructive Murray-Darling Basin water buybacks.

“The very strong likelihood in Mallee, Sunraysia, the Wimmera, Grampians, Loddon and beyond, is farmers simply won’t be able to export, and agriculture will further contract in our region,” Dr Webster said.

Farmers and exporters will be slugged with increases of up to:

·         384 per cent for meat exports, with the annual meat export licence fee increasing from $345 at present, to $1,668 in 2029/30

·         280 per cent for egg exports

·         184 per cent for livestock exports

·         184 per cent for dairy exports

·         183 per cent for horticulture and grain exports

Horticulture export authorised officer fifteen minute inspection fees will rise from the current $98 to $141 in 2029/30.  Horticulture authorised officer annual charges will more than double over four years from $983 to $2,200. Horticulture tonnage charges are also due to go up around 78 per cent over the same period.

Peak body Ausveg warned earlier this year that their latest survey indicated 2 in five growers were considering leaving the industry.

Annual charges for grain authorised officers and manually issued phytosanitary certificates will more than double from $983 to $2210, and $131 to $258 respectively, over four years.  Fifteen minute grain inspection charges will rise from $98 per quarter hour to $137 in 2029/30.  Unlike horticulture, grain tonnage charges will reduce marginally from $0.14 to $0.12 per tonne across the four years.

“Labor’s agricultural export fees have more than doubled or tripled in some sectors, making it harder to farm, harder to operate and now harder to export” Dr Webster said.

“Growers are telling me they are concerned many who are struggling financially won’t bother getting certified, reducing the number who are exporting and therefore threatening the local industry if producers flood the local market and drive prices down.”

Dr Webster said she is extremely concerned the Department’s costs have blown out under the Albanese Labor Government, yet the agricultural industry is expected to pay.

“Agriculture Minister Julie Collins continually ignored questions on whether increased export fees will fund broader government costs, rather than just export services, as the government moves to a fully cost-recovered agriculture export model,” Dr Webster said.

“The National Farmers’ Federation previously expressed concerns that increased fees may be used to unreasonably support the broader Departmental cost base.

“When you consider that the Victorian Government has increased truck lice”t a time when farmers and exporters are dealing with rising costs and growing uncertainty in international markets, the last thing they need is another increase in government charges.”

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